Falls Church City officials, staff, and a representative from the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority (NVTA) gathered Wednesday to officially reopen the Van Buren Bridge in a ribbon cutting ceremony.

A major capital improvement project and regional effort, the bridge was rebuilt over nine months, resulting in a structurally sound, pedestrian-friendly, and beautiful structure that reflects the multimodal goals of the City, and more, City officials said.

“Bridges are identifiers of the values of the community, and the Van Buren Bridge is an excellent example of The Little City’s values,” said Council Member David Snyder, who is also the City’s representative to the NVTA. “Not only does this bridge provide daily access for vehicles, pedestrians, and cyclists, it also helps with daylighting a stream, adding beautifully artistic elements to infrastructure, and showing the high quality investment the City makes for our community.” The new bridge includes an extra-wide raised walkway that allows room for a high level of pedestrian traffic. It is a corridor connecting Falls Church and Arlington County, including residents heading to the East Falls Church Metro, I-66, the Washington and Old Dominion Trail, and neighborhood parks.

The project cost almost $1.2 million and was paid for by City funds and grants from regional partners including NVTA, State of Good Repair, and the Virginia Department of Transportation’s revenue sharing program.